Apparatus for forming articles from sheets of material



March 1 1927- MacLAREN APPARATUS FOR FORMING ARTICLES FROM SHEETS 0F MATERIAL Filed pril 29. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lnv enTor. Alfred A.Muc.Luren MQJQW B mw R 5 1mm. m 5 M fi R 8 0 G8 cw m. L; F n um 4.; 8 B o m q w mm 5 M r h 1 1927 v a c A. A. M LAREN APPARATUS FOR FORMING ARTiCLES FROM SHEETS 0]? MATERIAL v FilediApril 29. 1922 Sheets-Sheet 2 AlFred A.Mac Laren byfM/LJWK Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

ALFRED A. MACLAREN, 0E BOSTON, IlllIASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR FORMING ARTICLES FROM SHEETS OF MATERIAL.

Application filed April 29, 1922. Serial No. 557,283.

This invention relates to improvements in methods for forming articles from plastic material and also in machines for forming said process.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a method for forming articles from plastic material which will be more economical and efficient than methods heretofore performed. The essential features of the method comprise the formation of a sheet of plastic material from a mass thereofby extrusion. cutting the desired articles progressively from the moving sheet and returning the remainder of the sheet to the mass.

The method also contemplates applying to the sheet a covering layer of material having a surface adapted to cohere or adhere to the surface of the sheet and thereafter cutting articles from the sheet by means of dies and subsequently returning the remainder of the sheet to the mass. In such case it may be desirable to remove from the remainder of the sheet the covering layer which has been applied thereto before the sheet is returned to the mass. In other instances the covering layer may be of substantially the same material as that of the sheet and may be returned to the mass.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine for performing the process above describedf One of the essential features of the machine embodying the present invention conslsts in providing a series of horizontally travelling dies to-which the sheet is progressively applied and providingmeans, acting normal to the direction of movement of the die, for forcing the material upon the die so that the articles when out from said sheet will present straight edges and any stretching of the material of the sheet during the cutting operation will be avoided. v

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described with means for relatively adjusting the various mechanisms in such a manner as to produce proper co-operation between the pressing means and the dies and also to preferably provide means for regulating the thickness of the sheet of plastic material which is applied to the die.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing means for progressively returning the remaining portion of the sheet, after the articles have been cut therefrom, to the sheet-producing means.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved means for rigidly supporting the travelling dies during the time the pressing means is acting upon the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of carrier for the dies.

;Other objects and features of the inventibn will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

{A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 isa conventional illustration of a machine, or assemblageof machines, embodying my invention, adapted to produce the method which forms the essential part of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse, vertical sectional view on line 22, Fig. l, viewed from the left toward the right;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of one of the links of the endless carrier and the die which is mounted thereupon;

"Fig. 4 is a plan view of a sheet of materialafter it has passed through the cutting mechanism and illustrating various different forms of apertures formed by cutting out articles of diiferent shape corresponding to the contour of such apertures.

The method which comprises the essence of the invention consists in producing articles from a plastic material by progressively extruding a sheet from a mass of plastic material, progressively cutting the articles 1 from the sheet and progressively returning the remainder of the sheet to the mass. Any suitable means may be employed for progressively forming the sheet of material and the articles may be cut from the travelling sheet by any suitable mechanism. Suitable means may then be provided for progressively returning the remainder or uncut portion of the sheet to the mass Where it may be worked over and again delivered in the form of a sheet and the operation repeated. Desirably the sheet is delivered progressively upon a series of travelling dies and means are provided for pressing the sheet against the dies so that the dies Will be successively forced through the sheet. The articles may then be removed from the dies and the remainder 1y for the production of articles from rubber or rubber composition which is treated while in a heated and plastic or semi-plastic condition, the remainder of the sheet being returned to the sheet-forming mechanism and again worked into the batch from which the sheet is formed.

A further feature of the method consists in applying a layer of material, such, for example, as a thin layer of rubber or rubber composition to the face of the sheetbefore the articles are cut therefrom. \Vhere a material of the same kind as that of the sheet is employed the remainder of the sheet, after the articles have been cut therefrom, may be returned to the sheet-forming means and worked into the mass or batch from which the sheet is made. If desirable, however, the covering layer may be stripped from the sheet after the articles have been out therefrom and before the remainder of the sheet is thus returned to the mass.

A preferred mechanism for performing the method above described, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, comprises a forming machine which may. be of any usual type adapted to produce, by extrusion, a sheet of the plastic material. The sheet thus continuously delivered from the forming machine desirably is carried between a pair of regulating rolls which serve somewhat to condense the sheet and to insure the uniformity of its thickness and from these rolls the sheet is delivered upon the cutting edges of a series of continuously moving dies. During the progress of the dies, while thus supporting the sheet, pressure is continuously brought to bear upon the sheet at right angles to the direction of movement of the die so that the sheet is forced upon the dies until the edges of the dies are assed clearly through the sheet. The articlies thus formed are then removed from the dies and the sheet returned, referably by an endless belt, to the sheet-f drming means.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings the sheet-forming means shown conventionally as a tubing or forcing machine comprising a standard 1 supporting a cylinder 2 which desirably is water jacketed and provided at its end with a head 3 containing a die of the shape of the sheet to be formed. A suitable screw 4, located within the cylinder, serves to work the mass of material therein and to extrude it progressively through the die in such a manner that it forms a fiat sheet 5 of the desired width. The material is fed into the cylinder through a hopper 6.

The shaft carrying the screw 4 is driven by a gear 7 whlch is actuated throu h a train of reducing gears from a driving iaft 8 having a cone pulley 9 driven from any suitable source by means of which a desired speed of rotation may be imparted to the shaft 8.

The sheet-forming machine may be of any suitable type such as are commercially employed for making sheets or tubes of rubber composition or other material and no claim is made to such machine except. in combination with the other mechanisms for producing the method of the present invention.

The sheet thus progressively produced by extrusion from the forming machine is led between a pair of regulating rollers 10 and 11 which are mounted on a standard 12 carried by a frame which may conveniently comprise upper rails 13 supported by posts or legs 14. The legs 14 and rails 13 of the frame may be connected by suitable cross members.

The rollers 10 and 11 desirably are adjustably mounted. As illustrated herein the bearings for the upper roller 10 are slidably mounted upon the standard 12 and is adjusted by means of screws 15 mounted in the ca plate 16 of the standard and engaging sai bearings. These rollers act slightly to compress the sheet and also to smooth the same and to insure that the sheet is of uniform thickness. The roll 10 desirably is a hollow fluid-containing roller but into which the fluid-such as water or steam-may be introduced by apipe 10*. The fluid thus introduced may be either cold or hot for the the purpose of cooling or heating the extruded sheet of rubber as it is delivered to the cutting mechanism, so as to properly condition the sheet for the cutting operation, and for the application thereto of the covering layer.

Suitable means may be provided for driving one or both of these regulating rollers. The sheet passes from these rollers upon an endless carrier 17 which desirably is in the form of a pair of parallel chains having connected links supporting dies upon which the sheet is progressively deposited. The pairs of links and dies of which the endless carrier is constructed are illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. Each link of a pair comprises a substantially rectangular portion 18 having a central aperture adapted to receive a sprocket and a hooked end portion 19 adapted to engage the transverse member 20 of the next succeeding link. Each of the links is provided with a transverse upwardly extending boss 21 and the bosses of each pair of links are connected by a bar 22 which may be riveted or bolted to the boss 21 or otherwise secured to the links. of the die 24 is secured to the bar 22. The

, die 24 is of hollow skeleton form and may be of an suitable shape and ward y extending beveled cutting edges 25. The inner Wall or walls 26 of the dies desirably are smooth and extend at right angles provided with up One of the walls 23 to the plane of the edge of the die which is in parallelism with the direction of movement of the endless carrier, the dies being provided with proper clearance to permit the discharge of the article through its bottom.

The endless carrier, formed by the connected pairs of links abovedescribed, is mounted upon suitable sprocket wheels 27 and28 which are carried respectively by shafts 29 and 30 mounted in bearings 31 and 32 carried by the rails 13 of the frame of the machine.

Suitable means may be employed for driving the shaft 29 of the sprocket wheel 27 in a direction to impose tension upon the upper lead of the endless carrier. Desifably the bearings 30 of the sprocket wheels 28 are adjustably mounted so that the tension upon he endless carrier may be adjusted. As illustrated a screw 33 passes through the block of the bearing 30'and has threaded engagement therewith, the screw being rotatably mounted in a bracket 34 and adapted to be adjusted by a hand wheel 35. By the rotation of the hand wheel, therefore, the bearing may be moved longitudinally of the frame and proper tension lmposed upon the blocks of the bearings};

endless carrier.

In order to properly support the dies with the sheet of material thereon a pair of guide rails 36 are provided which extend longitudinall of the machine beneath the respective c ains of the endless carrier. These guide rails desirably are in the form of angle irons, as illustrated in cross section in Fig. 2, and are supported by a series of inverted U shaped standards 37 having end portions 38 bent at right angle sthereto, seated upon the rails 13 of the frame.

Preferably a pair of longitudinally extending bars 39 are also supported upon the transverse members of the U-shaped standards and disposed in such a manner as to engage the under edges of the bars 22 and dies 24.

Any suitable means may be provided for pressing the sheet of material 5 down-upon the dies for the purpose of forcing the material upon the dies sufliciently to out clean through the' sheet of material. In the pre-,

ferred Iconstruction illustrated herein the meansfor thus producing pressure upon the sheet comprises a roller- 40 having a shaft 41 which is rotatably mounted in bearings 42 which are slidably mounted upon stan ards 43 supported by the rails 13 of the frame.

Suitable means are provided .for simultaneously adjusting these hearings. As illustrated herein screws 44 pass through the 42 and have threaded engagement therewit The end portions of the screws 44 are rotatably mounted in suitable bosses 45 and 46 upon the standards 48 and the upper ends of the screws have secured to them beveled gears 47 which are engaged by beveled gears 48 carried by a transverse shaft 49 which is mounted in bearings in brackets 50 carried by the standards. A hand wheel 51, which is secured to the shaft 49, serves simultaneously to rotate the beveled gears and thereby to rotate the screws 44 so that the roll 40 may be raised or lowered as desired with reference to the path ofthe edges of the dies.

The roll 40 desirably is provided with a surface 52 of relatively soft material, such as, wood presenting the ends of the grain substantially radially with respect to the roll. The roll may, therefore, be so adjusted that this relatively soft surface will contact with the edges of the die in such a manner that the material will be forced down upon the die until a clean cut is made through it.

In order to prevent any yielding of the dies during the cutting operation a co-opcrating supporting roller desirably is provided to act in opposition to the presser roll. As illustrated herein a co-operating roller 53 is located directly beneath the roll 40 and is provided with a shaft 54 which is rotatably mounted in bearings 55 which are slidably mounted upon the standard 43.

Suitable meansare provided for adjusting these bearings. A convenient means which is illustrated herein comprises a. pair of screws 56 which have threaded engagement with the block of the bearing 55.and are rotatably mounted in suitable bosses in the standard 43.

The blocks of the bearing 55, as illustrated herein, are provided with extensions 57 in which other adjusting screws 58 are mounted, the lower ends of the adjusting screws 58 engaging the rails 13. By reason of this construction a very accurate adjustment of. the supporting roll 53 may be provided.

The periphery of the supporting roll 53 is provldedwith grooves 59 to receive the supporting bars 39 which terminate a short distance beyond the line in which they contact with the roll 53.

Suitable means are rovided for discharging the-articles which have thus been pressed upon the dies. Av convenient means which is illustrated herein comprises a lever 60 having a down-turned end which is positioned over the path of the dies. The lever 60 60 and cause its end to knock the articles 1 1y around the pressing roll 40 as the articles are cut from it and is returned to the form ing machine in any suitable manner. As illustrated, the sheet 5, after passing beneath the pressing roll 40 is carried upwardly along the periphery thereof and is engaged by a roller 64 which presses against the roll 40. The sheet is then carried up around the roll 40 and deposited upon the upper lead of an endless belt 65 which is carried by suitable rollers 66 and 67 and is delivered progressively into the hopper 6 of the formmg machine.

Any suitable means may be provided for driving the endless carrier for the dies and for driving the endless belt 64 at a speed corresponding to the speed of delivery of the sheet forced from the sheet forming machine so that the process of forming the sheet, cutting the articles therefrom and returning the sheet progressively to the forming machine may be carried on continuously, additional material being supplied to the forming mechanism as is necessary.

In some instances it is desirable to apply a surface layer of material to the sheet before the articles are cut therefrom. Such a layer may be provided of material of a similar composition to that of the sheet of plastic material, for example, a thin layer of rubber or rubber composition or prepared cement stock, may be applied to the plastic sheet of rubber, or if desired a layer of other material, such as, cloth or duck. may be applied to the surface of the sheet before the cutting operation is performed.

A convenient means for thus applying the covering layer, which is illustrated herein, comprises a reel 68 carrying a sheet 69 of the material, which sheet is led progressively beneath a roller 70, the periphery of which is placed in juxtaposition to the upper lead of the endless die carrier. The roller 70 de sirably is so positioned as to press the layer 69 progressively upon the sheet 5 as it passes beneath the roller. The roller 70 also serves to press the sheet slightly down upon the dies so as to prevent any slipping or displacement of the sheet relatively to the dies and it may be mentioned that the roller 70 desirably is used whether a covering layer is employed or not.

The layer thus applied to the plastic material will adhere to the surface thereof, or if of a similar material will eohere to the sheet and the died-out article will be provided with a surface corresponding to "the layer thus deposited upon it. After passing beyond the pressing roller the layer thus applied may be returned with the sheet to the forming machine if it is of the same material as that of the sheet, or it may be stripped off by hand, or by suitable means as the sheet passes around the pressing roller An illustrative means for stripping the layer from the sheet, which is illustrated herein, comprises a reel 71 mounted in suitable hearings in standards 72 carried by or forming a continuation of the standards 37.

The layer, for example. of fabric, which is applied to the sheet is wound up upon this reel after passing around the press-er roller 40, thus permitting only the material of the sheet to be returned to the forming machine.

In case the layer which is applied to the sheet is of a material which requires or is provided with a backing of fabric or like material, which it is desirable to remove before the articles are cut from the sheet, the fabric backing may be led directly from the roll 69 to the reel 71 in the path indicated by the dotted line 73 in Fig. 1 of the drawing. Thus the reel 71 may be used for a double purpose, first, to roll up the cover after it is stripped from the sheet and second, to roll up the backing when removed from the layer or sheet 69.

The reel 71 may be operated by hand or by any suitable driving means.

In Fig. l of the drawing a short section of the remaining portion of the sheet, after the articles have been cut therefrom, is illustrated in which apertures corresponding to various types of articles are conventionally shown.

It will be understood that any desired form of article may be cut from the sheet in this manner and that any suitable plastic material may be tlus treated.

It will be obvious that the cutting mechanism is adapted to cut articles from sheets which have been previously made, as well as sheets which are delivered to it by a forming machine as herein described.

It will also be understood that the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is of an illustrative character and is not restrictive and that various changes in form, construction and arrangement of parts may be made within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A machine for producing articles from rubber material which comprises means for working a heated mass of said rubber material and extruding therefrom a continuously moving sheet of said material. continuously moving means including skeleton cutting dies to receive said sheet as it is extruded. means for pressing said sheet against said dies having a surface moving with said sheet at substantially the same rate of speed and acting to force the material upon said cutting dies and sever the articles therefrom, means automatically operable to discharge the cutout articles downwardly through the dies and means for progressively returning the remainder of the sheet to the mass while in a heated condition to the means for working and extruding the material.

2. A machine for producing articles from rubber material which comprises means for continuously forming a moving sheet of plastic material from a mass thereof, means for progressively superimposing upon said moving sheet a covering layer of plastic material of a different quality but of similar ingredients. having a surface adherent to the material of the sheet. means for cutting aricles from he composite sheet, means for discharging the cut out articles and means for progressively returning the remainder of the sheet to the mass.

3. A machine for producing articles from rubber material which comprises means for continuously forming a moving sheet of plastic material from a mass thereof, means for progressively superimposing upon said moving sheet a covering layer of material having a surface adherent to the material of said sheet. means for cutting articles from the composite sheet, means ,for discharging the out out articles, means for stripping the covering layer of material from the cut sheet. and means for progressively returning the remainder of the sheet of plastic material to the mass.

4. A machine for producing articles'from a plastic material comprising means for continuously forming a sheet of plastic material from a mass thereof, an endless chain carrier having mounted thereon a series of cutting dies, means for continuously actuating said die carrier to receive the continuously formed sheet. pressing rollers acting continuously upon said sheet in a direction normal to the direction of movement of the sheet-supporting lead of said endless carrier to force said sheet progressively upon said dies and reciprocable means operable by the movement of said endless carrier to discharge the articles from said dies.

5. A machine for producing articles of rubber material comprising means for continuously extruding'a sheet of rubber from a heated lastic mass thereof, a pair of gaging rolls located in proximity to said sheetforming means acting to condense said sheet and to insure a uniform thickness thereof, an endless carrler having mounted thereon a series of dies and located in proximity to said gaging rolls, meansfor continuously actuating said die carrier to receive from said gaging rolls the continuously produced sheet and pressing means acting continuously upon said sheet in a direction normal to the direction of movement of the sheetsupporting lead of said endless carrier to force said sheet progressively upon said dies whereby the articles will be cut from the body of said sheet and means operable by the movement of the endlesscarrier to discharge the cut out articles downwardly through the dies.

from a rubber material comprising means for continuously extruding a sheet of rubber from a heated plastic mass thereof, a pair of gaging rolls located in proximity to said sheet-forming means acting to condense said sheet and to insure a uniform thickness thereof, means for relatively adjusting said rolls whereby sheets of different thicknesses may be produced, a continuously moving endless carrier having mounted thereon a series of skeleton dies and located in proximity to said gaging rolls, means for actuating said die carrier progressively to receive the sheet from said gaging roll and a pressing roller acting upon said sheet in a direction normal to the direction of movement of the sheet-supporting lead of said endless carrier to force said sheet progressively 'upon said dies whereby the articles will be cut from the body of said sheet and means operable by the movement of the endless carrier to discharge the cut out articles downwardly through the sheet.

7 A machine for die-cutting articles from a travelling sheet of material comprising a continuously moving endless carrier having horizontally moving leads, a series of hollow, skeleton cutting dies mounted upon said carrier having cutting edges extending in a direction'normal to said carrier, means for progressively depositing the sheet of material upon the dies of the upper lead of said carrier, a cylindrical pressing member rotatably mounted in adjustable bearings above the sheet-receiving lead of said endless carrier and having its periphery adapted to engage the edges of said dies and acting progressively to force said sheet upon said dies in a direction normal to the cutting edges thereof, means for simultaneously adjusting the bearings of said bearing member and a co-operating supporting roller, located below the upper lead of said endless carrier, having a periphery engaging progressively the under'face of said dies in substantially the vertical .plane in which the periphery of the pressing roller engages said dies and means for adjusting said supporting roller relatively to said pressing roller.

8. A machine for die-cutting'articles from a travelling sheet of material comprising a continuously moving endless carrier having horizontally moving leads, a series of hollow, skeleton cutting dies mounted upon said carrier having cutting edges extending in a direction normal to said carrier, means for progressively depositing the sheet of material upon the dies of the upper lead of said carrier, a cylindrical pressing member rotatably mounted above the sheet-receiving lead of said endless carrier and having its periphery adapted to engage the edges of said \dies and acting progressively to force said sheet upon said dles m a direction normal to the cuttin edges thereof, parallel supporting bars ocated beneath the upper lead of said endless carrier adapted progressively to engage the under'faces of said dies and a co-operating supporting roller, located below the upper lead of said endless carrier, having a periphery engaging progressively the under faces of said dies in substantially the vertical plane in which the periphery of the pressing roller engages said dies and provided with grooves to receive said supporting bars.

9. In a machine of the class described, an endless die carrier comprising a pair of parallel sprocket chains having links provided with upwardly extending flanges, a bar secured to the upwardly extending flanges of complementary links of said chains and cutting dies secured to said flanges.

10. In a machine of the class described, an endless die carrier comprising a pair of parallel sprocket chains having links pro vided with upwardly extending flanges, a bar secured to the upwardly extending flanges of complementary links of said chains, cutting dies secured to said flanges, means located beneath the upper lead of said chain for supporting said dies and means, located above said supporting means, for progressively pressing, a sheet of material upon said dies in a direction normal to the edges of said dies whereby the sheet of material will be forced upon said dies and articles cut therefrom progressively by the dies.

11. A machine for die-cutting articles from a travelling sheet of material comprising an endless carrier having horizontally moving leads, a series of cutting dies mounted upon said carrier having cutting edges extending in a direction normal to said carrier, means for progressively dcpositing the sheet of material upon the dies of the upper lead of said carrier, means for forcing said sheet against said dies to cause the latter to cut through said sheet and means for applying a surfacing layer of material to said sheet in advance of the means for forcing said sheet upon the dies.

12. A machine for die-cutting articles from a travelling sheet of material comprising an endless carrier having horizontally moving leads, a series of cutting dies mounted upon said carrier having cutting edges extending in a direction normal to said carrier, means for progressively depositing the sheet of material upon the dies of the upper lead of said carrier, means for forcing said sheet against said dies to cause the latter to cut through said sheet, means for applying a surfacing layer of material to said sheet in advance of the means for forcing said sheet upon the dies and means for stripping the layer thus applied from said sheet.

13. A machine for die-cutting articles from a travelling sheet of material com prising a continuously moving endless carrier having horizontally moving leads, a series of hollow, skeleton cutting dies mounted upon said carrier having cutting edges eX- tending in a dircctiop normal to said carrier, means for progressively depositing the sheet of material upon the dies of the upper lead of said carrier, a cylindrical pressing member having a shaft rotatably mounted in adjustable bearings and having its periphery adapted to engage the edges of said dies and acting progressively to force said sheet upon said dies in a direction normal to the cutting edges thereof and means for simultaneously adjusting the bearings for said pressing roller and means for discharging the articles through the dies.

1.4. A machine for die-cutting articles from a travelling sheet of material comprising a continuously moving endless carrier having horizontally moving leads, a series of hollow, skeleton cutting dies mounted upon said carrier having cutting edges extending in a direction normal to said carrier, means for progressively depositing the sheet of material upon the dies of the upper lead of said carrier, a cylindrical pressing member having a shaft rotatably mounted in adjustable bearings above the sheet-receiving lead of said endless carrier and having its periphery adapted to engage the edges of said dies and acting progressively to force said sheet upon said dies in a direction normal to the cutting edges thereof, means for simultaneously adjusting the bearings of said pressing member and a co-operating supportin roller, located below the upper lead of said endless carrier, having a periphery engaging progressively the under face of said dies in substantially the vertical plane in which the periphery of the pressin roller engagessaid dies and means for disc arging the articles through the dies.

15. A machine for producing articles from rubber material which comprises means for working a heated mass of said rubber material, and extruding therefrom a continuously moving sheet of said material, a pair of regulating rollers engaging the extruded sheet, including a fiuid-containing roller to condition the sheet, an endless chain carrier having mounted thereon a series of skeleton dies, and moving at the same rate of speed as that of the extruded sheet, a roll acting upon said sheet in a direction normal of movement of the sheet supporting lead of said endless carrier to force the sheet progressively upon said dies and cut the articles therefrom, and means for discharging the cut out articlesdownwardly through the dies.

16. A machine for die cutting articles from a travelling sheet of material comprising a continuously IIIOVlIlg endless carrier,

having horizontally mounted leads, a series of skeleton-cutting dies mounted upon said carrier, and having cuttingedges extend ing in a direction normal to saidcarri'er, means for progressively dehverlng a sheet of material to. said carrier, a roller locating adjacent to the receiving end of said carrier pressing upon said sheet and partially forc ing said sheet into v. the dies thereby prevent-' ing stretching of the sheet, a roll provided with a surface of relatively soft material co-operatmg with said. carrier at a distance from said presslng roller acting to-force the sheet upon said cutting diesto sever the articles from the sheets, and means for discharging the cut out articles downwardly through said dies." v 17. A machine for producing articles from rubber'material, which comprises means for ing a covering layer of material to said sheet, including a roller located at the receiving end of said conveyor, and acting to press the covering layer upon said sheet and partially to force said sheet'intosaid' dies and to preventstretching of the sheet, and a roll located at a distance from said pressing roller, having a surface of relatively soft'material engaging said sheet, and acting to force said sheetupon said dies to' cut articles therefrom, and means for discharging the cut out 3 articles downwardly through said dies.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name tothis specification.

' ALFRED A. MioLARErL edwith a scries of skeleton cutting dies, means for apply- 

